Florida’s first night as the No. 1 team in the country came with a pretty strong argument for why the Gators are there.
After opening the season with a win over Miami, Sports Illustrated’s Kevin Sweeney said Florida had already done enough to validate its top ranking in a roundup of five opening-day overreactions from college basketball. The takeaway was simple: the Gators looked the part.
What stood out most was the frontcourt. Thomas Haugh paced Florida with 19 points, while Alex Condon and Rueben Chinyelu helped make life difficult for Miami around the rim. In a game that matched up two respected big groups, Florida’s size and physicality ended up tilting the floor.
The other encouraging piece was the shooting. Florida hit 11 of 26 from three-point range, a 42.3% clip, and five of those makes came from the bench. That kind of balance could matter a lot for Todd Golden’s team, especially after last season’s uneven perimeter numbers.
The Gators’ results from deep told a clear story a year ago: they went 16-0 when they shot at least 32% from three, and 11-8 when they fell below that line. So when Golden saw his team knock down shots against Miami, he made sure to notice.
“I'm really excited about the three-point shooting,” Golden said after the win. “We were 42% from three.
Nobody thinks we can shoot. But I think we can shoot; I think we got a chance.”
Sweeney did note that other teams could end up passing Florida as the season unfolds. But for now, the Gators’ opening statement - strong play inside, solid defense, and a much better night from outside - gave them exactly the kind of start that keeps them in the championship conversation.
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Chinyelu led the way with a career-high 21 points and eight rebounds, while Condon added a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds. The result also gave Golden his 105th win at Florida, moving him into fifth place on the programs all-time list, and it arrives with Florida State next on the slate. [Read more 🡒]